Glimpses
by Starlit Purple
Summary: Glimpses of loves found and lost on the Astro team over the years.
1. Story 1: Ashley & Andros

Disclaimer/Author's Note: This story was written for and inspired by Phantom Rogue, who was my snowflake for Alpha's Magical Fic Exchange. This first story was one of her four prompt requests (originally called 'Under The Stars'), but after staring at them long enough, I had a chaptered story idea spinning up. I have no idea how far this will go or how many chapters it will have, but this will definitely be a different kind of story. It's called Glimpses because each story will be a glimpse of a couple (or two friends) at different times in their life. Each of these 'chapters' can be read as one-shots, but will be linked, and ultimately tell the story of how and who the Astro Rangers end up with.

Oh, and by the way. This story will have large amounts of slash, threesome pairings, and poly, so if that's not your thing, this story might not be the one for you. But anyway, the Rangers are owned by Saban, my imagination just took them and went into overdrive. Hope you enjoy Glimpses. :)

Glimpses  
by Starlit Purple

Story 1: Ashley & Andros

Nights in Angel Grove were always more fun when you had someone to spend them with. Particularly when that someone was a stripey-haired alien who saw and appreciated everything on Earth in ways that Ashley had never stopped to think about. Earth had been all she had known up until a few months ago, but since going to space and meeting Andros, her perspective of her home had changed. She found herself looking at things the way Andros was seeing them and the "alien-ness" of Earth to him.

Nothing seemed too alien tonight, and for that, she was grateful. She hadn't wanted Andros to feel uncomfortable, but she wanted to take him somewhere she'd known for most of her life in return for him taking her to see Haley's Comet up close. The beach was more serene and private at night, and a perfect place for a evening stroll.

The last colors of dusk had long darkened and faded away, and the waning moon glistened on the waves crashing on the shore. After only a little prodding, she'd convinced Andros to take his shoes off and they'd wandered down the beach a good ways, before climbing onto a large rock when it obstructed their path.

Brushing the sand off her feet, Ashley glanced sideways at Andros. He had settled down on the rock beside her, and was leaning back on his elbows and gazing up at the sky.

The breeze teased his hair and she reached out to tuck the strays back. The motion caught his eye and he smiled at her as her fingers lightly brushed across his ear.

She must have stared a little too long, Andros's smile faded into a frown, and she blushed, looking away.

"No, I- What are you thinking about?" His voice sounded more amused than offended and Ashley felt a giggle bubble up within her.

"Isn't that my line?" She laughed and then blushed once more, twisting a piece of hair around her finger. "I was thinking about how pretty you look in the moonlight."

Even in the dim light, Ashley could see him blush as his gaze fell on the waves gently crashing against their rock. "I don't look any different than I do in the daytime."

"Well, you're pretty then too," she giggled. "I've just never seen you in the moonlight before. The soft lighting and the shadows make you even prettier."

If it was possible, Andros was blushing even more than before. He threw his gaze back upward as he whispered a barely heard, "Thanks."

Ashley smiled, and poked him. "So what were you thinking about, when you were looking at the sky a few minutes ago? You looked..." She shook her head fondly, searching for the right word. "Thoughtful... Peaceful."

He opened his mouth, about to answer, before closing it and looking at her. "I was thinking about home." He shrugged as he leaned back, once more scanning the sky. "The stars are so different here, it's a completely different sky."

"I guess I never really thought about that before," she replied. Letting her eyes rove across the sky, she tried to imagine looking up at a foreign starry sky on KO-35. "Did you stargaze a lot on KO-35?" she continued, leaning back next to him.

She felt him shrug. "When I was little. ...I loved looking at the stars. Used to do it all the time."

"Why'd you stop?" she asked gently.

"Karone."

"Oh," she whispered, as she sat up, crossing her legs under her. "I'm sorry."

Andros' lips quirked but he didn't say anything more.

For a long moment, they merely listened to the waves crashing onto the shore. Ashley had gone back to looking at the stars, searching for a constellation she recognized. She suddenly found herself wishing she'd taken that astronomy class with Cassie and Carlos last semester.

"At home we have names for different star groupings," Andros' soft voice broke through the serene atmosphere, but didn't disturb it.

"Constellations? That's what we call them here. We have them too. Most of them are named for their shape, or named after people." She shook her head and laughed. "Carlos pointed out several of them to me last year, but I couldn't find most of them."

She spotted the Big Dipper on the horizon, just starting to rise over the ocean, and tapped Andros on the leg before she pointed. "You see those stars over there?" She glanced back to see him nod, and continued, "That one's the Big Dipper-though I think it's supposed to be a bear, if I remember right. I've never been able to see the bear."

"I see it," he replied.

Ashley turned toward him. "What constellations do you know?"

"I don't know any of the ones in this galaxy," he admitted, glancing up at the stars. "But at home, we have ... " He stopped, a forlorn look flashing across his face, before he shook his head.

Ashley winced. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I just-"

"No, it's okay. I like this. It's...nice, out here with you."

"Really? It's not too..."

"It's beautiful. Peaceful. Reminds me of KO-35." He must have caught her chagrin, cause he leaned forward and put his hand on her knee.

"I *do* like this. I'm glad you brought me here."

Ashley smiled. "Do you wanna head back? The others are probably expecting us by now."

Andros nodded and pushed himself to his feet, turning to help Ashley up. Stepping down off of their rock, Andros threw one more look out at the horizon.

"Maybe someday I can show you the stars on KO-35."

Ashley's smile brightened, and she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Someday," she whispered, leaning her head onto his shoulder as they walked back down the beach.

The orange-tinted flash came moments later as they vanished, casting a glow on the rock now a good ways away, and then all was dark once more. The stars twinkled, and the warm glow of the moon reflected off the waves, ever crashing on the shore.


	2. Story 2: Zhane & Andros

Disclaimer/Author Note: The second of Phantom Rogue's requests was that Andros and Zhane go on a date. That didn't quite happen here, but I think it fits the storyline I'm going with. :) That said, there may be a side story to this, cause part of me wants to see where they go. Special thanks to Tsukino Akume for betaing this for me, since I've never tried this style of writing before, and wasn't sure about the flow of it. Saban owns the Power Rangers.

Glimpses  
by Starlit Purple

Story 2: Zhane & Andros

"Go out with me."

It wasn't a question. Zhane didn't intend for it to be. Andros hadn't done anything but tear himself up over Ashley since she'd found out about how close they'd been before he'd...well, died. Andros' feelings for her hadn't changed, but Ashley just needed time to think about it all. At least that's what she'd told Andros.

That had been weeks ago, and the only person Ashley was confiding in lately was Cassie.

She had approached Zhane only a few days ago. It was the first she'd said more than "Good morning", "Good night", or helpful calls on the battlefield. They were all still a team, after all.

"_Hey Zhane."_

_Zhane craned his neck around to see Ashley framed in the entrance to the work bay. Cassie was nowhere in sight._

"_Hey," he said brightly, and then frowned and added, "Oh, if you're looking for Cassie, I think she said she was going to work on homework with TJ."_

_He'd been the last one in the work bay, finishing up his meal while idly talking with DECA. Ashley hadn't come to dinner, and Andros was still off somewhere moping. ...He'd be sure to bring him something when he left._

"_No, actually I wanted to talk to you."_

"No."

Zhane sighed, but persisted. "Come on Andros. Haven't you punished yourself enough?"

"Zhane..." The whine in his voice matched the hurt in his eyes when he turned to look at him. So deep that Zhane just wanted to hug just him until it all went away.

"_Mind if I join you?"_

_He shrugged, gesturing to the table. "Sure."_

_Her eyes were a little too bright as she pulled up a stool and sat across from him._

"_I know we haven't talked much since...well..."_

_Zhane nodded in understanding. "Since Andros told you about us, how we used to be...Ashley, you know we haven't—I would never do anything to jeopardize what you and Andros have. And I haven't since I woke up from hypersleep."_

"_I know," she whispered. "Andros told me."_

"She hates me," Andros told him softly, turning away again.

"No, she doesn't hate you." He dropped a hand to Andros' shoulder as he talked. "She's just...confused. She's never thought about being in love with more than one person the way that you are before."

Andros was shaking his head. "But Zhane...I can't go out with you. I'll lose her."

"You won't. She loves you Andros, that hasn't changed."

"Hasn't it?" Andros' eyes were big as he looked up at Zhane once more.

"Do you still love her?" he countered.

"Of course I do, but—"

Zhane squeezed his shoulder. "Love isn't something that just goes away. You and I are proof of that."

"_So...what did you want to ask me?"_

"_I wanted to—to ask you about..." Her eyes were set on the table between them as she searched for the right words. "A-About the way you and Andros used to be."_

_Her eyes widened suddenly, and she looked up at him before he could respond._

"_You don't have to tell me if you don't want to—it's none of my business-"_

"_No, it's okay." Zhane reached across the table to squeeze her arm lightly. "I'll tell you if you want to know."_

He shifted around behind Andros, putting both his hands on Andros' shoulders. It was a more intimate gesture than he'd dared do since coming out of hypersleep, but Andros didn't protest, so he gently started rubbing small circles into his tense back.

"It doesn't have to be a date. Just...go out with me somewhere. Get off the ship for a few hours."

He felt Andros shrug. "I was off the ship. Earlier."

Zhane rolled his eyes as he focused his ministrations on a knot at the base of Andros' neck. "Yeah, for a monster attack in the _warehouse district_. That's hardly a vacation."

"I don't want a-" he gasped as Zhane pressed harder on the knot. "Vacation," he finished.

"And I'm not asking for one. I just want a few hours with my best friend _not_ on the Megaship or fighting monsters."

Andros' head dropped forward as he silently leaned into Zhane's hands.

He sighed. "Come on, Andros, you still love me right?"

The answer came as readily as it had years ago. "Forever."

"_So, you still love him then." It wasn't a question._

"_Of course! He's my best friend."_

_He didn't miss the way Ashley's eyes dropped, or the tears starting to well up in them. He grasped her hands in his own and waited for her to look back up at him before he went on._

"_Things were different then. All we had was one another. Karovan troops were rallying behind two kids that barely knew what they were doing—save for what came with The Power and sheer instinct. Our families had been evacuated with the other civilians, and it was just us. Just us and a couple dozen troops against hundreds of Dark Specter's forces..."_

_Ashley blinked as a tear broke free and ran down her face. "I—I, I'm sorry. That must—Andros never told me much," she admitted, shaking her head._

_Zhane chuckled a little. "Well, he's not really the sociable one."_

"_I'm glad you had each other," her smile was pained, but genuine. "I can't imagine what that must have been like."_

_Zhane frowned, his gaze falling to the table as he thought back to all the battles and invasions—the last of which still felt as if it had taken place only months ago, instead of _years_._

"_You know?" he spoke softly. "It was a bad time then, for all of us, but it didn't seem so bad. Andros had all the determination and hope in the world, and coupled with his refusal to give up... I guess his hope rubbed off on me a little. So long as we had each other, nothing could defeat us._

"_...And then I died."_

Zhane smiled as his fingers found another stressed muscle, and started to work on it. He wasn't expecting Andros' next words, though in hindsight, he probably should have, after what he'd just asked him.

"Do you still love _me,_ Zhane?"

He chuckled softly. "Are you kidding me? Not even death could make me stop. You're my best friend. You were a few months ago, and you still are now. That hasn't changed."

"Years," Andros corrected.

"Yeah. I don't think I'll ever get used to that. A few months ago I was fifteen about to turn sixteen, and now I'm seventeen and missed a whole age entirely!" He sighed as he stopped, suddenly serious as he rested his hands on Andros' shoulders. "I'm sorry I left you, Andros."

_He could hear Ashley sniff a little before she got up and came around the table to sit beside him. She put her arm around him and squeezed hard._

"_But you didn't die. You're here now, and you still have each other."_

_Zhane shook his head. "It isn't the same anymore. It's not just me and him against the world anymore. He has all of you now too. And you." His eyes found hers, and he reached out to brush a newly fallen tear from Ashley's face. "I'm glad he found you. You kept him from being all alone."_

_She shook her head and drew her arm away as she turned more toward him. "I didn't know about you. I don't want—I never would have tried to take him from you. If I'd known I-"_

"_Hey," he grabbed her hands again, idly running his thumbs across the backs. "It's alright. He's happy. That's all I would have wanted."_

"I'm sorry I got a new team," Andros whispered.

"What?"

"I'm sorry if you think I replaced you."

Zhane shook his head. "I don't. And I'm glad you found a team. You needed them, especially since you didn't have the _Mighty Silver Ranger_ at your back."

He could hear the smirk in Andros' voice as he scoffed. "Well it _would _take a full team to make up _your_ ego."

"Funny," Zhane replied as he went back to working on Andros' taught muscles. "So, will you go out with me?"

He felt Andros sigh, and decided not to let him whine again.

"Would it help if I told you Ashley asked me to take you out?"

Andros turned, forcing Zhane to stop, and looked up at him. "She did?"

_Ashley's gaze dropped to their hands as she sniffled once more. "But he's not happy, is he?" She took a deep breath and then swallowed. "I don't...I'm not used to this. It's going to take me a while to process it all."_

"_Do you still love him?" Zhane asked bluntly._

"_Yes." Ashley nodded, and then paused to look up at him. "But I've seen how he is when he's around you. So..." A warm smile lit her tear-stained face for a moment. "Carefree. He's different with you. Happy, and completely him._

"_...I don't want to get in the way of that."_

"_You won't." Zhane squeezed her hands as he spoke. "You see what this is doing to him. Why can't we all just be friends?"_

"_We _can_ be friends." She shook her head and chuckled a little. "We are already. But I...I'm used to having only one person love only me in that way, and having them all to myself. I don't..." She looked away. "I can't be with him while he's with you. But I want him to be happy, I want him to be with you."_

_Zhane shook his head, but Ashley continued before he could protest._

"_Please. I know you want the same things for him, and I know you love him. Just...be there for him, for now. Take him somewhere, get his mind off...all of this. ...Me."_

_Zhane watched her for a long moment before he spoke. "Well, for one, I would never try to make Andros forget about you. You're too important."_

_She smiled a little._

"_And I want you to know," he continued, more seriously, "I do care about _you _too. I don't know you very well yet, other than knowing you're an amazing girl, but...I want you to be as important to me someday as you are to Andros. I hope that we can be that close someday._

"_And," he added, before she could respond. "I would only take Andros out if you were completely okay with it."_

_Ashley nodded, wiping her cheek on her sleeve, and composing herself best she could. "I want you to. ...And Zhane?" She added as she turned to go. "I hope we can, too."_

"She just wants you to be happy. We all do. And keeping yourself cooped up on the Megaship thinking about it all the time isn't helping anyone."

Andros closed his eyes for a moment, before he cracked them open to stare up at Zhane, eying him with a wry look. "...What did you have in mind?"


End file.
